Transport device

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for transporting automotive instrument panels, comprising a frame, a pair of carry arms pivoted to the frame to carry opposite sides of an instrument panel, each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with a carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; the instrument panel having a central column region with a lower column end portion, both of said carry arms having an inner end section which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower column end portion as it is lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged to be displaced downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the instrument panel causing the carry formations on the arms positively to engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel.

1. A device for transporting automotive instrument panels, comprising:
 a frame, 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame to carry opposite sides of an instrument panel of a type including a pair of sides and a central column region with a lower column end portion; 
 each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower column end portion when lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the instrument panel to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the arm carry formations on the opposed arms to approach one another, to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel in the carry elevation, each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side edge regions of the lower column end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the arm capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower column end portion of the instrument panel when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
 
   
   
     2. A device as defined in  claim 1  wherein the carry arms are arranged to lie in a common plane to be generally parallel with an elongate axis on the instrument panel. 
   
   
     3. A device as defined in  claim 1  wherein the arm carry formation on each of the arms comprises at least one pin and each carry formation on the instrument panel includes at least one passage to receive the corresponding pin. 
   
   
     4. A device as defined in  claim 1  wherein each capture formation includes a plate to support the upstanding peripheral wall. 
   
   
     5. A device as defined in  claim 4  wherein the plate is laterally offset relative to the corresponding arm. 
   
   
     6. A device as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising a support member centrally located on the frame and positioned to be between the inner end sections of the arms when the instrument panel reaches its carry elevation. 
   
   
     7. A device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the support member is positioned substantially parallel with and between the plates to support the lower column end portion when the instrument panel reaches its carry elevation. 
   
   
     8. A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each upstanding peripheral wall includes an inclined portion to guide the lower column end portion. 
   
   
     9. A device for transporting automotive instrument panels, comprising:
 a frame, 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame to carry opposite sides of an instrument panel of a type including a pair of sides and a central column region with a lower column end portion; 
 each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; the carry formation on the instrument panel including a passage, the arm carry formation including at least one pin which is complementary with the passage and is adjustable relative to the corresponding carry arm to adjust the instrument panel's carry elevation and an adjustment assembly for adjusting the position of each pin relative to the corresponding passage; 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower column end portion when lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the instrument panel to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the pins on the opposed arms to approach one another, to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel in the carry elevation; 
 each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side edge regions of the lower column end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the arm capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower column end portion of the instrument panel when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
 
   
   
     10. A device for transporting automotive instrument panels, comprising:
 a frame, 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame to carry opposite sides of an instrument panel of a type including a pair of sides and a central column region with a lower column end portion; 
 each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; the carry formation on the instrument panel including a passage, the arm carry formation including at least one pin which is complementary with the passage and is adjustable relative to the corresponding carry arm to adjust a carry elevation of the instrument panel and an adjustment assembly for adjusting the position of each pin relative to the corresponding passage, wherein the adjustment assembly includes a housing positioned on each carry arm, wherein the respective pin is mounted for movement relative to the housing, and further comprising anchor means for anchoring the location of the respective arm carry formation relative to the housing; 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower column end portion when lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to the carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the instrument panel to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the pins on the opposed arms to approach one another, to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel in the carry elevation, each of the capture formations cooperating to form a seat for the lower column end portion of the instrument panel when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
 
   
   
     11. A device as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising biasing means for biasing each carry arm toward an open position wherein the carry arms are ready to receive an instrument panel. 
   
   
     12. A device as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a pair of posts extending upwardly from the frame; each post providing a pivot location for pivotally coupling a corresponding one of said carry arms thereto, the biasing means further including at least one spring between each post and the corresponding carry arm. 
   
   
     13. A device as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a wheeled undercarriage for supporting the frame along a floor surface, the frame including a lower frame member which is generally parallel with the floor surface and an elongate portion of each aim includes a first segment adjacent the respective capture formation, the first segment being generally parallel to the lower frame member when the instrument panel reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
   
   
     14. A device as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the first segment of each arm lies adjacent the frame member when the instrument panel reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
   
   
     15. A device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein each arm includes a second segment which is disposed at angle relative to the first segment and has an included angle therewith of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, wherein the second segment is upwardly angled from the first segment when the instrument panel has reached its carry elevation. 
   
   
     16. A device as defined in  claim 15 , wherein each arm includes a third segment which is disposed at an angle relative to the second segment and has an included angle therewith of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, wherein the third segment is generally vertically directed when the instrument panel has reached its carry elevation, the third segment supporting the respective arm carry formation. 
   
   
     17. A device as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the arms are movable between a closed position where the arm carry formations are in positive engagement with the complementary formations of the instrument panel and the first segments are adjacent the frame member and an open position wherein the first segments are inclined relative to the frame member, the arms being further arranged to fall to the open position in the absence of an instrument panel, under the force of gravity or a biasing source or both. 
   
   
     18. A device for transporting irregularly shaped articles, comprising:
 a frame which is movable from a pickup location to an unloading location; and 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame in order to carry opposite sides of an irregularly shaped article of a type having a central body portion with a lower body end portion, 
 each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation to positively engage a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the article, 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower body end portion when lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the article is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the article to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the arm carry formations on the arms to approach one another to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the article in the carry elevation, each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side edge regions of the lower body column end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the arm capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower body end portion of the article when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
 
   
   
     19. A device for transporting automotive instrument panels, comprising:
 frame means; and 
 a pair of opposed carry means pivoted to the frame means for carrying opposite sides of an instrument panel of a type including a pair of sides and a central column region with a lower column end portion, 
 each carry means having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; 
 each said carry means having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in a path of the lower column end portion when lowered on to the frame means, said carry means being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame means, the downward displacement of the carry means by the instrument panel to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the arm carry formations on the carry means to approach one another to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel in the carry elevation, each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side edge regions of the lower column end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower column end portion of the instrument panel when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame means. 
 
   
   
     20. An automotive instrument panel transport assembly, comprising:
 an instrument panel having a pair of sides and a central column region with a lower column end portion; 
 a frame, 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame to carry opposite sides of the instrument panel; 
 each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation for engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the instrument panel; 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower column end portion when lowered onto the frame, said carry arms being further arranged for the inner sections to be pivoted downwardly as the instrument panel is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the instrument panel to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly for the arm carry formations on the opposed arms to approach one another, to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the instrument panel in the carry elevation, each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side regions of the lower column end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower column end portion of the instrument panel when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame. 
 
   
   
     21. An article transport assembly, comprising:
 a frame which is movable from a pickup location to an unloading location; 
 an article of a type having a central body portion with a lower body end portion; and 
 a pair of opposed carry arms pivoted to the frame and carrying opposite sides of the article, each carry arm having an outer end section which is provided with an arm carry formation positively engaging a complementary carry formation on a corresponding side of the article, 
 each carry arm having an inner end section including a capture formation which is positioned to lie in the path of the lower body end portion when lowered onto the frame, 
 said carry arms being further arranged for the inner end sections to be pivoted downwardly as the article is lowered to a carry elevation relative to the frame, the downward displacement of the carry arms by the article to cause the outer end sections to be pivoted upwardly and the arm carry formations on the arms to approach one another to positively engage the complementary carry formations on the article in the carry elevation, 
 each of the capture formations including an upstanding peripheral wall to engage one of a pair of opposed laterally spaced side edge regions of the lower body end portion, the upstanding peripheral walls of the arm capture formations being aligned with one another to cooperate to form a seat for the lower body end portion of the article when it reaches its carry elevation relative to the frame.